Harish Rao turns Assembly into battlefield, leaves Congress cornered and fumbling

The Congress government’s bid to corner the BRS over the Kaleshwaram project backfired in the Assembly, as Harish Rao countered CM Revanth Reddy with documents and clearances, exposing contradictions in Congress’s stance and leaving the ruling benches on the defensive

Hyderabad: What was expected to be the Congress government’s big moment to corner the BRS on the Kaleshwaram project backfired in the Assembly on Monday, as senior BRS leader and former Minister T Harish Rao turned the debate into a masterclass in political combat.

In a session marked by interventions, personal attacks and frequent disruptions, Harish Rao stood firm, armed with facts, documents and institutional clearances, systematically dismantling the ruling party’s narrative.

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Allotted 30 minutes, he spoke for more than 80 minutes, despite Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy and six Ministers interrupting him over 30 times. In a rare spectacle, the lone Opposition MLA forced the Chief Minister to repeatedly alter his stance within a single debate.

Revanth Reddy initially accused the BRS of shifting the project site from Tummidihatti to Medigadda despite adequate water availability. Harish Rao countered by reading out portions of Union Minister Uma Bharti’s letter, which warned that planned utilisation was doubtful. The Chief Minister then shifted ground, claiming the issue was barrage height, not water availability. When Harish Rao cited Maharashtra’s objections, CWC’s hydrology updates and environmental clearances at Tummidihatti, Revanth Reddy again changed his position, exposing the fragility of the Congress argument.

Harish Rao did more than defend the Kaleshwaram project. He highlighted what he called the Congress’s doublespeak, questioning why Ministers who once approved Medigadda as part of the Cabinet were now criticising it after switching sides from the BRS.

His sharp rebuttals and detailed explanations left the treasury benches on the defensive, underlining what the BRS called the political opportunism behind the ruling party’s stance. Instead of putting the BRS in the dock, the debate exposed the Congress’s shaky grip on facts and its apparent desperation to build a case ahead of the local body elections.

Monday’s proceedings were not just an exchange of arguments but a test of credibility. Harish Rao ensured that it was the ruling party that emerged bruised.